JENNER HEADLANDS PRESERVE

Jenner Headlands is a spectacular 5,630-acre mosaic of redwood and Douglas fir forests, oak woodland, chaparral, and coastal prairie overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The property adjoins Pacific Coast Highway for two and one-half miles adjacent to Sonoma Coast State Park just north of the Russian River Estuary. Many rare and endangered species inhabit the property including the northern spotted owl, peregrine falcon, and red tree vole. Deer, bobcat, coyote, mountain lion and steelhead trout are also found on the property.

This 2009 acquisition was a result of the dedicated four-year effort by the Sonoma Land Trust and the Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District. Five other funding sources: the California Coastal Conservancy, the California Wildlife Conservation Board, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and Forest Legacy Program. The Wildlands Conservancy loaned and guaranteed loans totaling $10.6 million to insure this acquisition when funding was threatened. It is the single largest conservation land acquisition in Sonoma County history.

In September 2013, Sonoma Land Trust transferred the fee title of the property to The Wildlands Conservancy to manage as a preserve governed by consensus management decisions between TWC and Sonoma Land Trust.

At the time of its purchase, Jenner Headlands was the single largest conservation acquisition in Sonoma County history.

CONSERVATION OUTCOMES

Sonoma Land Trust and The Wildlands Conservancy worked closely in developing a resource management plan to restore the coastal prairie and to aid the recovery of old growth redwood forests from decades of logging. Restoration of logging roads and restoring clear running streams will aid the recovery of the endangered Coho salmon.

To learn more, download the entire plan, or for a quick view of how we intend to nurture and steward this incredible landscape, download one of our Fact Sheets.

VISITOR OPPORTUNITIES

GUIDED HIKES

We are diligently working to open the preserve to the public so visitors can experience this incredible part of the Sonoma Coast free of charge. However, until permanent parking locations are developed, public access is limited to ranger-led hikes by TWC rangers and Sonoma Land Trust staff.

Our spring hikes during the months of April and May focus on the spectacular wildflower displays of the Preserve.

Our summer hikes usually have a natural resource management theme in which we discuss forest, grassland, or river management on the Preserve.

Our fall hikes are focused on the fall raptor migration that occurs along the Sonoma coast that is not to be missed.

VOLUNTEER WORKDAYS

Join us for a rewarding day helping to steward and manage the incredible resources of the Preserve. Our workdays usually focus on removing non-native invasive plants and revegetating with natives to improve wildlife habitat and ecosystems function.

For dates and a description of the workdays, click here and sign up on line.

JENNER HEADLANDS NEWSLETTER

For information about what's going on at the Preserve and, check out one of our newsletters.

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